By your side
by spoodle monkey
Summary: Preslash JACKDANIEL sometimes there are things you can only say to someone when they can't hear you. Read and Review! Jack gets a few things off his chest, with an unexpected response.


Disclaimer: Nope, still dont own...

A/N: My first Jack/Daniel fic but the very first slash pairing i became obsessed with all those years ago...:) anywho, this is more pre-slash than anything else, so read and review and who knows, maybe there'll be more!

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"I thought you were supposed to be the smart one." He received no reply, not that he figured he would. "How am I supposed to watch your back if you keep wandering off?" The still figure in front of him remained silent, as though waiting for him to continue.

"I mean, the ruins could've waited another hour and now look at the mess we're in." He gestured at the small cave they currently resided in as though the other person could see him waving his arms. "You'd just better hope that Carter and Teal'c get back soon with a stretcher, cause if it takes much longer, I'm going to make you walk back to the gate, broken leg or no broken leg."

Daniel remained silent, lying on the stone floor, head cushioned by one of their packs. Blue eyes shut with his glasses missing, and a bandaged gash on his forehead, standing out against pale skin.

"…for you I may miss the hockey game…it is only Florida playing…" He shifted to regain feeling in his legs, uncomfortable as the silence stretched on.

"But you'll owe me, next Avalanches game, you're paying for tickets." He would have given anything for some comment about how hockey was wasting his brain away, or how they could see his hockey game if they watched Daniels documentary on Egypt.

The silence stretched on.

"Don't worry Danny-boy, they'll be back soon and Fraiser will have you fixed in no time." He leaned forwards, as though sharing a secret, dropping his voice to a whisper, "Although, between you and me, I think she enjoys sticking us with those needles of hers. There's no way they can be standard issue."

For the briefest moment it appeared as though a small smile flitted across the pale face, but it was gone in an instant, taking Jacks hopes along with it.

"Come on Danny, I need you to wake up, it's getting lonely talking to myself." Hesitating, he picked up one of the archeologists hands in his own, threading their fingers together.

"Don't make me use my Simpsons jokes!" He warned, chuckling slightly. Still no change, a light drizzle of rain had started up outside, making him glad that they had this cave, but at the same time knowing that it would take the others longer to get back there now.

"So, what do you want to talk about Danny? We could talk about…what about that lecture you went to last month? The one where you were gone a week and left me to Carter's wrath!" He shuddered momentarily at the memory. "Remind me to never piss her off. You shouldn't go to so many lectures, can't be good for your sanity. It's defiantly not good for mine…I mean…uh…" He trailed off, using his free hand to brush a few stray strands of hair from his friends face.

"Just, don't leave me again, ok?" He chose to take Daniels silence as a yes, sincerely wishing those bright blue eyes would open up so he wouldn't feel so…whatever he was feeling.

"I need to get you a leash. Or maybe a GPS, do you think I could talk Carter into micro-chipping you?" He snorted slightly, imagining the response to his question. "Yeah, she'd probably enjoy that job way too much. Probably already has us all micro-chipped." Jack added on thoughtfully.

"It's a good thing too cause I don't think I can take losing you again. Sometimes I think the best thing to do is to hide you away somewhere, where no one else would be able to find you, but you probably wouldn't appreciate that, would you?"

Silence met his question, but he already knew the answer. He sighed, running a hand through his short hair in an irritated manor. "All this gray hair is your fault; I had red hair before that mission to Abydos."

He took a moment to pause, leaning back against the rough cave wall, tilting his head to stare at the ceiling, missing the slight movement the previously still figure made.

"Hey Danny, you know the whole 'Don't ask, don't tell' thing that the Air Force has?" He closed his eyes, picturing his friend sitting across from him, nodding at him to continue. "I'm probably only saying this cause you're unconscious- just shows how much of a coward I am. I can't even tell you I care."

His throat felt tight, as though to continue he would have to force the words out, but he did anyways. "I care so much that I won't even tell you, just so I can continue to spend time around you."

A harsh laugh made its way to his lips, bubbling out. His eyes stung and it made him wonder exactly how he had gone from passing the time, to this.

"J'ck?" He started, eyes flying open. Large blue eyes were staring up at him, as Daniel's hand tightened its grip on his own.

"Daniel? How ya feeling?" He leaned forwards, checking to see if his friend's pupils were even.

"Mmfhghe." He chose to take that as a 'feeling much better, thanks'. "J'ck," Daniel tugged lightly on his hand, blue eyes slipping closed again.

"Yeah?"

"I care too." Brown eyes widened in surprise, as Daniel drifted off again.

"Sir, are you there?" His radio crackled to life, startling him.

"I'm here." He replied, squeezing his friend's hand gently.

"We're about ten minutes out."

"Alright, see you then." Jack released his hold on the radio, eyes slowly tracing over every line on the other mans face. "And we'll talk later, Danny. I get this feeling we have time to make up for."

_ **END**_


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